Within the automotive industry, but also within e.g. the shipping industry and industrial machinery, control systems are applied which, in addition to control of different functions, are used for diagnosing such functions.
With respect to e.g. vehicles these often comprise a large number of sensors, each of which emits signals representing parameter values relating to one of several different parameters with respect to the vehicle's performance/function.
Examples of such parameters/parameter values consist of different temperatures, engine speeds, air flows, fuel flows, throttle positions, vehicle speeds, settings relating to the vehicle's transmission, exhaust emissions, etc.
The sensor signals may be used for control of different functions in the vehicle, and also for diagnosing whether the vehicle functions as intended.
This control/diagnosis is usually carried out by control devices, and with respect to the vehicle, these often comprise several control devices, where one or several sensors may be connected to the respective control device.
In relation to diagnostics, the control devices may be used for monitoring the vehicle's function, where the control device e.g. monitors signals from the connected sensors.
In the event of differences from the expected function, if conditions set are not fulfilled, an error code may be activated, wherein such error code may e.g. be read at a subsequent visit to a garage and be used by the staff at the garage for diagnostic purposes, e.g. in connection with troubleshooting.
With respect to e.g. vehicles there are usually several such error codes defined, which may also be required to be available according to regulatory provisions, and which may accordingly also be detected by general error code readers and thus not only by tools specific to the vehicle manufacturer. In addition to such standardized error codes, additional error codes may be used to further facilitate troubleshooting during a garage visit. Such standardized error codes are generally referred to as diagnostic trouble codes (DTC).
Through the use of such error codes diagnosis may thus be facilitated at garage visits. The error codes may be used to identify errors, and the error codes may also specify where the error is located in the vehicle. Despite the occurrence of such error codes, it may still be difficult to find the cause of an error.